Gyroscopically controlled dirigible lamp



A g- 12, 1952 w. c. TOSTEVIN ,7 6,

GYROSCOPICALLY CONTROLLED DIRIGIBLE LAMP Filed Feb. 1, 1950 IN V EN TOR. W171 727? 6. 7'U57Z-TWA6 i atented Aug. 12,1952 v UNITED s TEs PATENT GYROSCOPICALLY CONTROLLED I '1'. DIRI GIBLE LAMP Walter C. Tostevin, Mandan, N. Dak. Application February 1, 1950; Serial No. 141,729

1 The present invention relates to a head lamp of the type which is adapted to be shifted in the direction in which a vehicle is steered and the invention more specifically [pertains to apparatus inassociation with a headlight so designed as to swing the head lamp when the vehicle rounds a curve or the like in its path of forward movement. The present invention represents improvements over my Patent'2 ,32 1,337, granted June 8, 1943.

An object of the present invention is to provide means in association with a head lamp for an automobile or the like which utilizes the action of gravity and the principles of a gyroscope to alter the position of the head lamp when there is a pronounced departure from a path of straight forward movement without providing a mechanical connection between the lamp and the steering mechanism of the vehicle and to provide a compactv dirigible lamp mechanism to facilitate mounting of the assembly on a modern type of motor vehicle.

A further and more specific object of the invention resides in providing improvements in the means for transmitting movement of the flywheel out of its normal plane of rotation to the lamp to so direct the lamp as to illuminate the roadway in front of the vehicle as it turns a corner or rounds a curve.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description wherein a typical embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

v:Fig. l-is a diagrammatic front elevational view of an automobile showing a head lamp exhibiting the invention mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the lamp and the mounting frame.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a plan view with the frame shownin horizontal section.

5 is a sectional view of a detail taken on the line 5- -5 of Fig. 3. 7

Referring to the drawing there is shown at I0 an automobile of the present day type provided with a grill structure I I at the front of the car. This invention pertains to an auxiliary lamp such as represented at l2 which may be mounted within the grill structure as shown in Fig. 1.,

In" the embodiment illustrated the .front grill structure [I is provided with an enlarged central portion [4' having'an opening therein for receiv scams. (0!. 240 62) 2 I ing the lamp l2 and themeans for turning the lamp automatically when the automobile makes a turn or rounds'a curve in the roadway.

The 'lamp'itself may take any suitable form and in the embodiment illustrated in the drawing the lamp i2 is of the sealed type including a front lens I6 and a rear. portion ll having-an internal reflectingsurface (not shown) for di recting the light waves forwardly through the lens I6 and for illuminating the roadway in "front of the car. 'Theperipheral portion of the lamp is encased within an annular rim assembly of any suitable type so as to securely grip the periphery of, the glass lamp structure. A metal ring 2! is provided around the perimeter of'the 22. The ring 2! carries'a short stub shaft'or pin 23 at the top and a similar pin or. stub shaftf24 extends from a lower portionof"the'ring-2i, These stub shafts or pins are provided for'the purpose of supporting the lamp assembly f r turning movement about a substantially vertical axis.

A frame is provided for supporting the lamp and this frame includes a U-shaped member '28 having an upper arm 29 which extends forwardly to a position above the lamp structure.- The lower arm 3| of the U-s'haped frame member also projects forwardly in a horizontal direction into the opening provided in the enlarged portion M of the grill at the front of the'vehicle; An an-i nular band 33 having a diameter slightlygreater,

than the ring 2! is-mou'nt'ed rearwardly thereof and is securedin any suitable manner such as by welding or integral with the arms 29 and"?! of the frame member 28. This frame structure is adapted to be mounted in back of the grill as shown in Fig. 3 in any suitable mannerx'jso that the lens l6 of the lamp is mounted. within the opening provided in the enlarged portio'n l4 of the grill structure to thereby lprovi'defan art1s-Q mounted on the car; 7 v I f A bracket 36 is secured to the frame member 28 in any suitable manner and includes ag v'eptically depending portion which extends down no appearing auxiliary f lam assembly wardly from theupper arm 29- in a substantially journalled in the bearing at the lower end of the bracket 36. A similar shaft 44 extends rearwardly from the motor housing and is rotatably supported in the bearing provided in the vertical surface 31. It will be observed that the center of gravity of the motor 4| is below the axis of the aligned stub shafts 42 and 44. Thus the motor tends to remain with its shaft 46 in a horizontal plane extending transversely of the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle. The axis of the stub shafts 42 and 44 are so mounted as to be ment of the car and these shafts 42' and are aligned with the central longitudinal center of' motor casing and the closed end of "this bracket-- extends below the motor housing as shp mgin Fig. 3. The invention includes a link connection between the bracket 51 and the head lamp structure. One element 52 of 'a hinge memberv is rigidly secured to the bracket 5| bya cap screw 56 and depends therebelow. This element terminates in a'tongue 55 which extends between spaced ears 56of another element 53 of the hinge member. A pin 54 extends through these cars and the tongue 55', to" provide a hinge connection immediately bjelow'the bracket 5|. 'Aball and socket connection is provided at'60 with the male. portion rigidly connected to an arm 51 carried by the element 53 and threaded thereon. A similar hinge connection is provided at '58 and this hinge structure may be rigidly connected to the ring 21 by means'of a bracket 6|. The hinge connection 58includes a pivot pin H and a hinge element 58 carrying the female socket (not shown) for receiving the ball of the ball and socket 911 9,.- i I The lamp filament and motor 4| are energized by ,current supplied to the wires 64 so that when the lamp is energized the motor is operated'to drivethe shaft lli. A flywheel 66 is mounted on the shaft 46 to rotate therewith and it is to be. noted that during normal straight forward movement of the car the flywheel 66 rotates in a vertical plane parallel with the forward movement of the vehicle. The flywheel 66 and the motor are so mounted thatthe center of gravity thereof is below the axis of the stub shafts 42 and 44. The rotating'fiywheel 66 thus by reason of .its weight and the center gravity of the motor structure tendsto remain inthe plane shown in Fig. 4.

"When the vehicle turns laterally during its forward 'mo'vementthe stub shafts 42 and 44.being fixed in relation tothe longitudinal axis of the ar swing'with" the vehicle and thus assumea position at an angle to the normal straight forward course or movement. The rotating flywheel 66 is 'thereby twisted from its normal rotating plane parallel with thestraight forward movement of the'car, since the shafts 42 and 44 are mounted in the frame 28 and theflywheel isjthereby twisted from its original plane of rotation. The flywheel 66 is endeavoring to remain in itsoriginal plane of rotation which normally parallel with the straight forwardmovementof the vehicle" and seeking to remain in such aplane of rotating swings laterally and moves the motor casing about the axis of the shafts 42 and 44; The bracket 5| moves with the motor casing. The hinge'element 521s thereby moved laterally andthe linkage connectien is also shifted to one side. The ball "and socket connection 66 permits this movement. The

pin 54 is arranged'with its axis parallel to the swinging movement of the motor, andlateral movement is imparted to the member 68 of the linkage. The hinge connection member 58 twists the bracket 6| which is rigidly secured to the ring 2! of the lamp structure. The lamp I2 is thereby turned about the axis of the stub shafts 23 and 24 to direct the lamp in the directions in which the vehicle is turning.

After the turn has been completed and normal straight forward movement of the car is resumed the pendulum action of the motor 4| resulting from the center of gravity being positioned below the stub shafts 42 and 44 restores the, motor to a position with the shaft 46 in a "substantially horizontal position. The flywheel 66 then again rotates in a vertical plane substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Thus it will be appreciated that the mechanism herein disclosed provides for swinging of the head lamp upon turning of the vehicle without depending upon the development of centrifugal force and without a mechanical connection between the steering mechanism of the car and the lamp structure.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific structural features and with regard to a particular type of linkage connection between the motor and the lamp it will be under stood that changes may be made in these and other features without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for supporting and turning a head lamp comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame member having an upper horizontal arm and a lower horizontal arm, a lamp, a pin carriedby the periphery of the lamp journaled in said upper arm, a pin carried by the periphery of the lamp journalled in said lower arm, an electric motor, a bracket carried by the upper arm depending therebelow, a stub shaft carried by the motor journalled in said bracket, another stub shaft aligned with the first stub shaft carried by the motor journalled on said frame member, said stub shafts being positioned above the center of gravity of the motor, a motor shaft, a flywheel secured to the motor shaft, a U-shaped bracket secured to the motor, and an articulated linkage connection betweensaid U-shaped bracket and said lamp.

2. Apparatus for supporting and turning a head lamp comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame member having an upper horizontal arm and a lower horizontal arm, a lamp, means supporting said lamp on said arms for turning movement about a substantially Vertical axis, a bracket carried by the upper arm depending therebelow, an electric motor including a casing therefor, aligned stub shafts carried by the motor casing journ'alled in said bracket and on said frame member, said stub shafs being positioned above the center of gravity of the motor, a motor shaft, a flywheel secured to the motor shaft, a U -shaped bracket secured to the motor casing, a hinge element rigidly secured to the U-shapedbracketand depending therebelow terminating in a tongue,;asecond hinge element havingears spanning the tongue, a pin connecting the tongue tosaid-ears arranged atright angles to the axis of said stub shafts, a hinge assembly connected to the lamp,

lower horizontal arm, a lamp, means supporting said lamp on said arms for turning movement about a substantially vertical axis, a bracket depending from said upper arm, an electric motor including a casing, aligned stub shafts carried by 5 tical axis upon swinging movement of the motor casing about an axis of said stub shafts.

WALTER C. TOSTEVIN..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,360,841 Whiting Nov. 30, 1920 2,109,748 Klein Mar. 1, 1938 2,321,337 Tostevin June 8, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS- Number Country Date 482,816 England Apr. 6, 1938 512,974 France Oct. 27, 1920 

